A tractor applies a force of 500 N to pull a trailer a distance of 3 km - Leaving Cert Physics - Question b - 2016

To calculate the work done by the tractor, we use the formula:

$W = F imes d$

Where:

• $W$ is the work done (in Joules),
• $F$ is the force applied (in Newtons),
• $d$ is the distance moved (in meters).

Here, the applied force $F = 500 ext{ N}$ and the distance $d = 3 ext{ km}$.

First, we need to convert the distance from kilometers to meters:

$d = 3 ext{ km} = 3 imes 1000 ext{ m} = 3000 ext{ m}$

Now substitute the values into the work formula:

$W = 500 ext{ N} imes 3000 ext{ m} = 1500000 ext{ J}$

Thus, the work done by the tractor is:

$W = 1.5 imes 10^6 ext{ J}$